Collapsible table



5, 1931. w. J. BAUER 1,820,592

COLLAPSIBLE TABLE Filed March 22, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet '1 INVENTOR W/LLlAM 116,400?

A'T'rciRNEY It has for its invention resides in a 4 These brackets,furthermore,

' best'be understood when Patented Aug. 25, 1931 i a UNITED STA wnmfur.1. BAUER, or NEW YORK,

coL'LArsmnE TABLE {Application filed March 22,

The invention relates generally to furniture construction, and moreespecially to a supporting member of the for example, a table havingsupporting legs which are designed to fold underneath said table whenthe same is not. in use and to be extended substantially at right anglesto its top portion when itis desired to place said table in service. i

object 'a simple and inexpensive construction of furniture structure of.this character which may readily be manipulatedin erecting the same aswell as in collapsing said article. A further object of the furniturestructure legs may securely be,

located in positionto rigidly sustain the top or platform portionthereof. A still further the novel object of the. invention resides inwherein the supporting I leg-supporting bracket whichmay, also, be

reinforcin elements for thetop or platform member 0 the structure. 4 Tothis end,jthere is provided a plurality of supporting brackets attachedto the top or platform .portion of the structure, which. rackets aredesigned to pivotally support the leg members to thus connect the samewith the top. 'Each leg member, moreover, carries means adapted forlocking engagement in its respective pivoting bracket to hold thestructure as a whole against collapse.

may be provided with .a .wing to which is then-rigidly secured diagonalbraces or reinforcingele ments immediately beneath the top or platformportion to sustain the same.

The nature of the'invention, however, will described in connection withthe accompanying drawings, in which: f 1 r [Fig 1 is a perspectiveunderneath view showing a table member, as one embodiment ofmy'invention, in the erected position. Fig. 2 is a' fragmentary lonitudinal section illustrating the manner '0 maintaining the tablesupporting legs in elevated position,-the dotted line indicatingtheextend osition. p

3 is a fragmentary transversesection Fig. thereof taken' on the line3-3, Fig. 2 of arranged to carry collapsible type, i

' they are ed min the downwardly 'frame or platform 1929. Serial no.a49,oe5.

the drawings, and looking in the direction of the arrows' Figs-4: and 5illustrate, respecti'velyin side and front elevation the upper portionof a supporting leg and pivotingbracket therefor. Fig. 6 is aperspective view of a holding bracket.

Fig. 7 is showing a modifiedform of in the erected position. 4

Fig. 8 is a fragmentarydetail vertical section illustrating the mannerof maintaining the table-supporting legs thereof in supportmg position.I

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary vertical section taken'on the line 99, Fig. 8 ofthe drawings, I

securing a supportingleg member to its holdmg bracket.

, Referring an enclosing a perspective underneath view table member andtoithe drawin s, 10 designates member fora ording'a rame',

- for example of square or other desired shape,

to receive the top or platform element 11; A finishing strip 12 may alsobeprovided about the frame 10, which frame is made of suflicieut depthto conceal or retain therein, when the table is collapsed, thesupporting leg members 13. The latter are, preferably,-hollow as oftubular metal, being designed to support said top when the table iserected for use, as'indicated in Fig. 1. In this condition, the legs 13extend substantially at right angles to said top 11 being arranged toswing freely downwardly there{ from or, rather, from th frame 10 towhich piyotally attached. This attache ment may be efiected, forexample, by-means of brackets, such as the U-shape retaining bracket 14,rigidly secured in the-respective v corners of the frame and supportinga pivot pin or' rivet 15 passing through the upper end of a legpivotallyfitted therein to persame to swing freely thereon andfrom theunder-surface of the portion 11 of the table.

The said pin 15 is arranged, 'also,'for a and adapted and transverselyof the same. A

"lock in slots 20 limited longitudinal movement relatively to acorresponding leg member, as by providing a pair of slots 16 in itsopposite sides at the upper end'and in which the pin is .drawn normallyto-the bottom thereof under the action of a spring 17 connected to thesaid pivotinlg pin 15 and to a further pin 18 w the slots in the gmember said leg is provided, also, withpins 19 projecting laterally fromthe side wall thereof and adapted to provided in the side walls of acorresponding U-shape bracket 14.

These slots extend inwardly from the corresponding lower edges of abracket; and the bracket itself is, side walls withpro ecting portionshav ng the respective cam e ges 21, and also with the fingers 22, thelatter extending inwardly and being turned over the corresponding faceof the hollow leg member which, as shown, is square in section,

If it be desired to fold the leg member up mounted be into positionbeneath the table top 11, it is necessary merely to pull outwardly,against action of spring 17, the particular leg mem-.

her so that its pins 19 will clear their respective slots 20 of thebracket; and there'- upon swing the-leg member "upwardly and intohorizontal position until stopped by the.

inwardly projecting fingers 22. These fingers-also prevent contact of aleg member with the undersurface of a top and thus reduce the danger ofmarring the finish of the same, as by scratchingor knocking ofl thepaint therefrom. Moreover, it will be observed that the pins beyond thehigh point of'the respective cam surfaces or edges 21 (as indicated bythe position shown in dotted lines, Fig. 4) so that any tendency of aleg member to drop downwardly when once in folded position is obviated;and the table ma be freely carried about without danger of these lemembers dropping from their position. 0 restore the legs to a verticalposition in erecting the table, it is necessary merely to exertsufficient force thereon to turn the, same downwardly,

the unti .in's 19 riding over the cam surfaces 21 they eventually dropinto the slots 20, drawn thereto by the spring 17. The U-shape retainingbrackets may, also, be provided with a diagonally directed wing 25 towhich are attached reinforcing members or braces 26 extending diagonallyacross the underside of the top and immediately beneath the same tosustain the top 11.

When a solid type of leg sired, this lmaybe secured mounting the legmembers. For example, reference being had to Figs. 7 to 11, 30.designates the enclosing member for affording a frame of thedes'iredshape adapted to receive the top or platform 31, with finishingstrip 32 about said frame. The supporting by similarly furthermore,provided at its a corresponding side wall 19 are then also slightlymember is deb legs 33 for the table are pivotally mounted in U-shapebrackets 34. These brackets are, as in the previous embodiment, rigidly'secured in the respective corners of the frame as by a supporting pivotpin or rivet 35 which passes also through the upper end 7 of a legfitted for pivotal mounting therein. When the legs are then extended tosup,- port the top, provision is made for retaining them againstmovement carrying'bracket member 34 as through a locking lever 36adapted for locking engagement in the corresponding bracket, each ofsaid leg members pivotallycarrying one of said locking levers. Itispreferred to pivot a lever to its respective leg member as by ashouldered screw 37 passing therethrough and into the leg member, saidscrew having an unthreaded cylindrical portion 38 designed to fit acorresponding opening 39 of a plate 40 set into the leg member flushwith itssurface. Normally, a lever 36 will be positioned substantiallyin the plane of a leg member under the action of gravity; and, after thesaid leg members are extended, it is necessary in order to eifect thelocking engagement. merely to manually swing said levers about theirrespective pivoting pins 37 and upwardly to fit in a slot 41 of thepivoting bracket.

Levers 36, moreover, are provided each with a holding tooth 42 so thatwhen the lever is elevated for engagement with. the bracket, tooth 42may exert pressure against of a bracket mem-- ber 34 to exert a frictionhold thereon. This will serve toprevent the various legs from swingingoutwardly as the corresponding lever 36' is temporarilylockedtransversely. of a said leg in the slot'or notch 41, provided inthe holding bracket 34;'and it is referred, also, to provide theopposite end 0 the lever with a nose 43 to fit into a further and longerslot 44 in the opposite wall of the bracket 34, both of the slots 41 and44 being cut inwardly from the lower edge and in a direction toaccommodate the oscillation of the lever 36.

In order to collapse the table, it is necessary then merely to depressthe various levers from their position of engagement with thecorresponding pivoting brackets, whereu on the legs-will be free toswingin' said brac ets 34 to a position within the frame 30 which is made ofsuflicient depth to substantially conceal therein the legs when thiscollapsed. A wing 45 may also be provided 'on the brackets forsupporting diagonally disposed races 46 immediately beneath as in thepreviously'described embodiment. -The constructions provide for a veryrigid support of the table sired to make use of-the table; and withalare.

of simple and relatively inexpensive design.

relatively to their 7 Ill the top 31,,

hereinbefore. described 12$ side walls, a plurality of U-shape bracketsattached to sa1d top, a pin secured to each of said brackets and passingthrough the inner end of a leg and the slots of its side walls, a springconnecting the pin with the correspondin leg, and means carried by theleg for furt er engagement with said bracket for axially positioning theleg relatively thereto.

2. A collapsible article of furniture, comprising a top or platformelement, legs for supporting the same and having longitudinal slotsoppositely dis ,osed in their side walls, a plurality of U-s apebrackets, a pin secured to each of said brackets and passing through theinner end of a leg and the slots of its side walls, a spring connectingthe pin with the'corresponding leg, and laterally extending pins adaptedto fit into further slots of the bracket extending inwardly fromitslower edges. v v

3. A collapsible article of furniture, comprising a top or platformelement, legs for supporting the same and having longitudinal slotsoppositely disposed in-their side walls, a plurality of U-shape bracketsattached to said top, a pin secured to each of .said brackets andpassing through the inner end of a leg and the slots of its side walls,a spring connecting the pin with the corresponding leg, and laterallyextending pins adapted to fit into further slots of the bracketand toride over a cam edge of a corresponding side wall of said bracket to aposition beyond its highest-point.

4. A collapsible article of furniture, comprising a top or platformelement, legs for supporting the same and having longitudinal slotsoppositely disposed in their side walls,

a plurality of U-shape brackets attached to said top, a pin secured toeach of said bra-ckets and passing through the inner end of a legand theslots of its side walls, a spring connecting the pin with. thecorresponding leg, laterally extending into further slots of the racketand to ride over a cam edge of a corresponding side wall of said bracketto a position beyond its highes'tpoint, and fingers inwardly turned fromthe side walls of a bracket to limit the ins. ward movement of acorresponding leg.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

WILLIAM J. BAUER.

pins adapted to fit

